Ion Sputtering of Metals in a System with a Thermionic Inert Gas Plasma Source

摘要

A high-efficiency sputtering system with a thermionic source of inert gas plasma is described. Characteristics of the sputtering system were studied. Sputtering coefficients, etching rates and energy expenditure coefficients were investigated as functions of argon ion energy for Cr, Al, Mo, Ti and steel 3. It is shown that the sputtering system under study has a high productive capacity; the etching rate of the steel substrate reaches 30μm/h. The sputtering system provides for an easy control over the process of ion etching with an aid of several easily measurable and controllable parameters (negative potential of the substrate, magnetic intensity, cathode filament current and pressure), which are practically independent of each other in the operating pressure range employed. The sputtering system offers the advantage of using various operating gases such as Ar, Xe, He, N_2, H_2.